Automatic ventilator window



May 15, 1962 G. A. POWELL AUTOMATIC VENTILATOR WINDOW R A 0\ s i a 1 rk Wk o\ a A M a J my m MW a Filed Dec.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,034,416 Patented May 15, 1862 3,034,416 AUTGMATIC VENTILATOR WINDOW George A. Powell, Box 4510 SRB, Spenard, Alaska Filed Dec. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 858,892 3 Claims. (CI. 98-88) This invention relates to a novel automatic ventilator window providing thermal circulation of outdoor and indoor air therethrough.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a window structure of the kind indicated, which is suitable for installation in ordinary window frames of various sizes, and for installation in picture window frames, and which operates without adjustment or manipulation, in cold weather to automatically circulate fresh cold outside air therethrough into a warm room, and in warm weather, to circulate warmer room air therethrough to the cooler outside, and which can eliminate frosting and steaming in moderate climates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive window structure of the character indicated, which is of simple and uncomplex construction, and can be easily installed without greater trouble or more special provisions than presently available thermopanes and other multiple panel window structures.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FEGURE 1 is an inside elevation showing a window of the present invention installed in a window frame;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, and showing the inside door in open position in full lines and in closed position in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary inside perspective view partly broken away and in vertical section, and showing the door in open position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated window, generally designated 10, is shown as installed in a window frame 12 having vertical side members 14, a top cross member 16, and a sill 18.

The window comprises a frame having a top cross member 20, set securably in the top frame cross member 16, from whose ends depend vertical side members 22 which are secured to the frame side members 14. The window frame thus partially constituted, has a bottom cross member which is either the existent sill 18, or another suitable bottom cross member, upon which are fixed upstanding longitudinally spaced pylons 24. The pylo s 24 are preferably wedge-shaped, with longitudinal grooves 26 formed in their smaller upper ends.

A middle pane 28, which is preferably of clear plastic, in order to avoid complete uncovering of the window opening in the event of breakage of either the outer or inner pane, has its lower edge 30 supportably engaged in the pylon grooves 26, so that a horizontal air slot or passage is defined between the lower edge 30 and the bottom cross member of the window, between the pylons 24. The side edges of the middle pane 28 are suitably inset in the window side members 22, and the upper edge thereof is suitably inset in the top cross member 20, as indicated at 32.

The window 10 further comprises a preferably glass outer pane 34 which is spaced outwardly from and is parallel to the middle pane 28, and is inset at its side edges in the side members 22 and is supported at its lower edge on the sill 18, at the outer sides of the pylons 24, and held in place by a seal 38 which extends along the lower edge and the side edges of the pane 34. The upper edge 40 of the pane 34 is spaced downwardly from the top cross member 20, so as to define a horizontal air passage or slot. Fixed, as indicated at 42, to the top cross member 20, is a filter plate 44, preferably of fiberglass, which is angled downwardly and inwardly toward and has a lower edge 46 which bears against the outer side of the outer pane 34, below its upper edge 40, so as to bridge the air slot above the outer pane 34, for filtering passing through this slot.

The window 10 further comprises an inner, preferably glass pane 48, similar to the outer pane 34 and similarly spaced parallel from the inward side of the middle pane 28, and similarly mounted and sealed, and having an upper edge 50 which is simlarly spaced downwardly from the top cross member 20, to define a horizontal air slot or passage.

A filter plate 52, like the filter plate 44, but reversed in position to engage the inner side of the inner pane 48, is similarly mounted, as indicated at 54, on the top cross member 20 and has a lower edge 56 occupying the inner pane below its air pane. For stopping air circulation through the window 10 into a room at the inward side of the window, as in windy weather, a door 58 is provided at the inner side of the window.

The door 58 preferably comprises a flat horizontally elongated plate 60 to extend across the window 10 and wider than the air slot of the inner pane 48, having an outwardiy angled flange 62 on its upper edge, on whose upper edge is a short centered hinge barrel 64 which is engaged on a hinge pin 65 carried by a bracket 66 which is fixed to the top member 20, above the filter plate 52. A spring 68, encircling the hinge pin 66, can be provided, to engage the flange 62 and the top member 20 for holding the door 58 in outwardly swung air slot closing position, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 2, with its lower edge 70 engaged with the inner pane 48, at a point below the filter plate 52. The door 58 is adapted to be swung inwardly to the full line open position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, to provide normal air circulation through the window 10, wherein the door is secured by suitable means (not shown).

While the door 58 is in its open position and the outside temperature is below the indoor temperature of the room into which the window 10 opens, outside fresh air passes through the outer pane slot and passes downwardly in the space between the outer pane 34 and the middle pane 28, through the slot :at the lower end of the middle pane, and upwardly in the space between the middle pane and the inner pane 48, and into the room through the inner pane air slot. The relatively low temperature existing in the space between the outer pane 34 and the middle pane 28, due to the exposure of the outer pane to the cold outside air, and the relatively higher temperature existing in the space between the room-warmed inner pane 48 and the middle pane 28 produces this air circulation thermally and automatically in a well-known manner. When the outside temperature is above the inside room temperature, reverse thermal circulation of air through the window is automatically produced.

While there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic ventilator comprising a frame having vertical side members and top and bottom members extending between the side members, said frame having outer and inner surfaces, an outer pane positioned in the said outer pane having an upper edge located close to and spaced from the underside of the' top member of the frame so as to define a transverse slot, said slot having a height only a small fraction of the height of the outer pane, an inner pane spaced outwardly from the inner surface of the frame and securably engaged at its lower and side edges with the bottom member and side members of the frame, said inner pane having an upper edge close to and spaced from the underside of the top member to define a transverse slot, the height of the inner pane slot being only a small fraction of the height of the inner pane, said outer and inner panes being spaced from each other at a distance less than half thewidtn of the frame, a'middle pane located between and spaced from the outer and inner panes and secured at its upper edge and side edges'to the top member and side members of the frame, the lower edge of the middle pane being spaced from the bottom frame memberto define a slot only a small fraction of the height of the middle pane in height, means' on the upper surface of the frame bottom member to which the lower end of the middle pane is secured, said means providing for transfer of air under the lower edge of the middle pane from the spaces between the outer pane and the middle pane and the middle pane and the inner pane.

2. The ventilator according to claim 1 which includes in addition outer and inner screens severally mounted on ace/ are the outer and inner surfaces of the top member of the frame, said screens being as long as the outer pane and inner pane slots and being angled downwardly toward and in contact with the outer and inner panes at points below the slots.

3. The ventilator according to claim 2 which includes in addition an imperforate door hinged on the frame top member and extending downwardly therefrom at' the outer side of a screen for closing a pane slot, said door beingadapted to occupy a perpendicular open position relative to a screen and a closed position wherein the door covers and is spaced below the screen and is engaged with the surface of the pane at a point below the screen. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS: 7

763,106 Myrick June 21, 1904 1,007,675 .Crane Nov. 7, 1911 7 1,119,288 Kurz Dec. 1, 1914 1,165,990 MacDowney Dec. 28, 1915 1,211,191 Levey Ian. 2, 1917 7 1,363,735 Hester Dec. 28, 1920 1,862,967 Parker June 14, 1932 2,125,669v Fisk Aug. 2, 1938 2,384,240 Dumaw a Sept. 4, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 540,802 Great Britain Oct. 30, 1941 

